2018 49th Annual World Series of Poker

Event #32: $1,000 Seniors No-Limit Hold'em

Buy-in: $1,000

Prizepool: $5,326,200

Entries: 5,918

Remaining: 0

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EVENT UPDATES

Monday, June 18, 2018 8:03 PM Local Time

Matthew Davis Tops Biggest Seniors Event Ever to Win $662,983

After a final table that featured the excitement of monster suckouts, quads, former bracelet winners and final tablists, Matthew Davis has been crowned the winner of the largest Seniors Event in WSOP history.

Davis topped a field of 5,919 players to take home the gold WSOP bracelet after defeating 2012 Senior Event final tablist Bill Stabler heads-up.

Davis, who teaches statistics at Chabot College in Haywood, California has two previous WSOP cashes in 2007 and 2009 worth $7,459, but today takes home a whopping $662,983 in prize money.

Official Final Table Results:

Position

Player

Country

Prize

1

Matthew Davis

United States

$662,983

2

Bill Stabler

United States

$409,456

3

Scott Hamilton-Hill

New Zealand

$303,859

4

Gary Friedlander

United States

$227,111

5

Bill Bennett

United States

$170,973

6

Rachel Delatorre

United States

$129,648

7

Frank Berry

United States

$99,032

8

Joseph Schulman

United States

$76,204

Speaking moments after securing the victory, Davis said that he was "elated beyond belief." Having come back from dinner break behind in the chip counts, it took him just 15 hands to turn the tables and close out the victory shortly before 7:30pm local time.

"Honestly, during the dinner break, I just went and enjoyed time with my family and friends. We talked about other things, and when they asked me about poker I just said not now.

"I came and played my first WSOP event in 2007, and I managed to secure a little over a min-cash. And I was talking to my daughter afterward - she was in first or second grade - and she asked me how much I had to spend to enter the tournament, so I told her that it was a $1,500 event.

"So she said 'Wow, Dad that's kind of a big risk!' And I was curious by what she meant by that, I mean she was only six or seven. So I asked her. And she said 'Well Dad, you're not that good at poker!'

"And now I have a bracelet!"

Final Table

Final Day Recap

Coming into the final day, it was Gary Friedlander who held the chip lead. There were no major moves among the players until a gin-flop caused the first all-in and call. On a flop Bill Bennett had flopped a set of eights while Joseph Schulman had flopped a set of fives. The two got their stacks in, with Schulman emerging second best and becoming the first elimination of the final day.

It was Bennett who would send the second player to the rail. Frank Berry shoved pre-flop with ace-seven, and after Bennett had gotten rid of another caller, he denied Berry the triple up by flopping a pair with ace-deuce and it held to send Berry to the rail.

Bennett was looking to set a new record for time between winning two bracelets, having taken down a $1,000 Pot-Limit Omaha event at the 1984 World Series of Poker, and he showed he still had some moves, pulling an audacious bluff with four-high to clip then chip leader Friedlander.

By the time players had recovered from the set over set that eliminated Schulman in the first level of the day, Rachel Delatorre fell to one of the most brutal beats at this WSOP, or indeed any WSOP.

Getting her remaining chips in with pocket tens on a nine-high flop, she feared a set when called by Matthew Davis. In fact, Davis turned over the exact same hand - pocket tens. However, the turn and river were both hearts and Delatorre was eliminated in gut-wrenching fashion.

This elimination pushed Davis to the top of the counts by the time the remaining five players went on their first break of the day. When they returned Bennett would move up the counts, using well-timed shoves to put pressure on Davis. But one mistimed shove would see Bennett eliminated in fifth place.

Bill Bennett

After betting a queen-high all-club flop, Davis called Bennett's bet and saw a ten roll off on the turn. Bennett shoved and got snap-called. Davis had flopped the nut flush, while Bennett had turned a set. The board failed to pair on the river and Davis moved to almost half the chips in play four-handed.

The next elimination was start-of-day chip leader Friedlander who got his remaining seventeen big blinds in with ace-five against Stabler's ace-jack. A jack on the turn sent Friedlander to the rail.

Scott Hamilton-Hill was the sole non-American at the final table, and the New Zealander narrowly missed out on the heads-up section of the competition after a poor run of cards saw him eliminated holding ace-deuce against Stabler's king-nine after Stabler flopped a pair.

Coming into heads-up play both Davis and Stabler were fairly level in chips and through over 100 hands of heads-up play, there were some show-stopping moments (including quads for Davis!). But most importantly the players were still very deep, meaning there wasn't a single all-in and call until the final moment in the tournament.

Even then the drama wasn't over. Getting it in with a flush draw against the flopped pair of Stabler, Davis didn't even realize that the river had given him a pair to secure the victory.

"Once I realized I was behind, all I was thinking was 'Diamond, diamond, diamond,'" said Davis, "So when it was black it didn't register. And then when I saw people react, I realized."

Realized that he had a pair. Realized that he had won. And realized a dream of becoming a WSOP gold bracelet winner.

"I almost snapped," said Stabler, considering his options. He thought a little while longer. "I call."

"I want to see diamonds, and then I am going to buy my wife some," said Davis, tabling for king high and a flush draw.

"I want to see no diamonds," came the retort from Stabler, tabling for a pair of threes.

The turn was the pairing the board.

The river was the . Stabler clapped both of his hands together, and wheeled around in celebration. It was only until the dealer pointed in the direction of Davis' hand that the two players realised that Davis had in fact rivered a pair, which was enough to send his opponent to the rail.

Stabler, who finished fifth in this event in 2012 for $147,605, and cashed in it last year in 157th place for $4,030, adds a third cash and second-place prize money worth $409,456.

Hand #231: Davis raised to 1,000,000 and Stabler called. Stabler check-folded to another bet of 1,000,000 on a flop.

Bill Stabler

18,720,000

6,220,000

Matthew Davis

10,875,000

-6,220,000

Monday, June 18, 2018 7:12 PM Local Time

Hands #224-229: Bottom Pair Works for Stabler

Hand #224: Bill Stabler raised the button to 850,000 and Matthew Davis called. The flop came and both players checked. The hit the turn, Davis checked, Stabler bet 1.25 million, and Davis folded.

Hand #225: Davis raised the button to 1 million and Stabler called. The flop came and both players checked. The fell on the turn, Stabler bet 900,000, and Davis called. The river was the , both players checked, Stabler showed , and his hand was good enough to win the pot.

Hand #226: Davis got a walk in the big blind.

Hand #227: Stabler got a walk in the big blind.

Hand #228: Davis got a walk again.

Hand #229: Davis raised to 1 million from the button and Stabler called. The flop came and Stabler check-called a bet of 1 million from Davis. The turn brought the , Stabler checked, Davis bet 2 million, Stabler folded, and Davis took the pot.

Matthew Davis

17,095,000

-1,005,000

Bill Stabler

12,500,000

1,000,000

Monday, June 18, 2018 7:00 PM Local Time

Hands #217-223: Davis Moves into the Chip Lead After Dinner

Hand #217: Matthew Davis raised and took down the pot.

Hand #218: Bill Stabler raised to 950,000 and Davis called. Davis check-folded to a bet of 950,000 on the flop.

"Let's go eat dinner," said Davis before folding, as the players headed off on a 60-minute dinner break.

Play will resume at approximately 18:50 local time.

Monday, June 18, 2018 5:51 PM Local Time

Hands #208-212: King is Good for Davis

Hand #208: Bill Stabler raised the button to 750,000 and Matthew Davis called from the big blind. The flop came and Davis checked. Stabler bet 750,000, Davis folded, and Stabler took the pot.

Hand #209: Davis raised to 750,000 form the button and Stabler called. The flop came and Stabler check-called a bet of 700,000 from Davis. The turn brought the and both players checked. The fell on the river and Stabler bet 1 million. Davis called, Stabler showed , and Davis tabled to take the pot.

Hand #210: Davis got a walk in the big blind.

Hand #211: Davis raised the button to 750,000 and Stabler called. The flop came and Stabler checked. Davis bet 800,000 and Stabler folded.

Hand #212: Stabler raised to 750,000 and won the pot uncontested.

Monday, June 18, 2018 5:41 PM Local Time

Hands #201-207: Players Exchange Small Pots

Hand #201: Matthew Davis raised to 750,000 and Bill Stabler called. The pair checked the flop and turn of and Stabler check-folded to a bet of 900,000 on the river.

Hand #202: Stabler raised to 750,000 and took down the pot.

Hand #203: Davis raised to 750,000. Stabler called but check-folded to a bet on a board.

Hand #204: Stabler raised to 750,000 and Davis called. The pair checked the flop and Davis check-called a bet of 750,000 on the turn. The river was checked by both players.

Davis showed and took down the pot.

Hand #205: Stabler received a walk.

Hand #206: Davis received a walk.

Hand #207: Davis limped and Stabler checked. Stabler check-folded to a bet of 350,000 on the flop.

Monday, June 18, 2018 5:34 PM Local Time

Hands #196-200: Stabler Chips Up

Hand #196: Matthew Davis got a walk in the big blind.

Hand #197: Bill Stabler got a walk in the big blind.

Hand #198: Stabler raised the button to 750,000 and Davis called. The flop came and both players checked. The hit the turn, Davis bet 800,000, and Stabler folded.

Hand #199: Stabler got a walk in the big blind.

Hand #200: Stabler raised the button to 750,000 and Davis called. The flop came and both players checked. The turn brought the and Davis check-called a bet of 1.25 million from Stabler. The fell on the river and Davis checked. Stabler bet 3.25 million, Davis folded, and Stabler took the pot.

Hand #192: Stabler raised to 750,000 and folded to a Davis three-bet to 2,200,000.

Hand #193: Davis raised to 750,000 and took down the pot.

Hand #194: Stabler raised to 750,000 and Davis called. The flop came and Davis check-called a bet of 1,250,000. The turn was checked by both players.

The river was the . Davis bet 2,000,000 and Stabler raised to 4,750,000. Davis folded.

Hand #195: Davis limped and Stabler checked. The flop came and Stabler bet 400,000 and Davis called. The pair checked the turn and the river was the . Stabler checked and Davis bet 1,100,000. Stabler snap-called.

Davis showed and Stabler took down the pot with

Bill Stabler

19,895,000

4,050,000

Matthew Davis

9,700,000

-4,050,000

Monday, June 18, 2018 5:17 PM Local Time

Hands #185-189: Davis Four-Bet Shoves

Hand #185: Matthew Davis called from the button and Bill Stabler checked his option. The flop came , Stabler checked, Davis bet 375,000, and Stabler tossed his hand into the muck.

Hand #188: Stabler raised the button to 725,000 and Davis called. The flop came and both players checked. The fell on the turn and Davis check-called a bet of 750,000 from Stabler. The hit the river and both players checked. Davis tabled and his hand was good enough to take the pot.

Hand #177: Davis called from the button, Stabler raised to 925,000, and Davis called. The flop came , Stabler bet 1.25 million, and Davis folded.

Hand #178: Davis got a walk in the big blind.

Monday, June 18, 2018 4:51 PM Local Time

Level 36 started

Level:

36

Blinds:

150000/300000

Ante:

50000

Monday, June 18, 2018 4:47 PM Local Time

Break

Players are taking a short break. Here are the chip counts.

Bill Stabler

19,450,000

-1,345,000

Matthew Davis

10,150,000

1,350,000

Monday, June 18, 2018 4:46 PM Local Time

Hands #167-172: Davis Four-Bet Jams

Hand #167: Matthew Davis raised to 545,000 and took down the pot.

Hand #168: Bill Stabler raised to 580,000 and Davis called. Davis check-folded to a bet of 625,000 on the flop.

Hand #169: Davis raised and took down the pot.

Hand #170: Davis received a walk.

Hand #171: Davis raised to 525,000 and Stabler three-bet to 1,425,000. Davis four-bet all in for 8,920,000 and Davis folded.

Hand #172: Stabler raised to 580,000 and took down the pot.

Monday, June 18, 2018 4:40 PM Local Time

Hands #162-166: Stabler Keeps Firing

Hand #162: Bill Stabler raised the button the 580,000 and Matthew Davis called from the big blind. The flop came and Davis check-called a bet of 625,000 from Stabler. The turn brought the , Davis checked, Stabler bet 1.25 million, and Davis called. The hit the river and Davis checked. Stabler bet 2.25 million, Davis folded, and Stabler took the pot.

Hand #163: Davis raised the button to 545,000 and Stabler called. The flop came and Stabler checked. Davis bet 600,000, Stabler folded, and Davis took the chips.

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